Photographic apparatus



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. ATTORNEYS E.'H. LAND PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Oct, 7,1958

Original Filed Oct. 19

H. LAND PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS @at Z 3195 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qriginal Filed Oct. 13, 1951 INVENTOR BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,854,905 PHoroGRAPrnc APPARATUS Edwin H. Land, Cambridge, Mass, assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Original application Uctober 19, 1951, Serial No. 252,161, now Patent No. 2,768,564, dated October 30, 1956. Divided and this application August 21, 1956, Serial No. 605,260

6 Claims. (CI. 95-13) This invention relates to photography and more particularly to novel photographic apparatus, such as a camera, wherein negative and positive images are preferably concurrently produced on negative and positive sheets by advancing the two sheets, in superposed relation and in conjunction with a processing liquid located therebetween, past a liquid-spreading means which spreads the liquid between the sheets. In such a camera, the thus processed sheets are preferably advanced from the liquid-spreading means into a chamber where formation of positive and negative images takes place in freedom from actinic light.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 252,161, filed October 19, 1951, now Patent No. 2,768,564, which latter application is, in turn, a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 54,496, filed October 14, 1948 (now Patent No. 2,576,022, issued November 20, 1951).

A principal object of the present invention is to provide improved photographic apparatus of the above type capable of use under extreme temperature conditions, such as would be encountered in special industrial or technical application, without impairing the quality of the photographic images obtained by the processing accomplished within such apparatus. In some such cases the temperatures are extremely high and in others they are extremely low.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a photographic apparatus of the above type in which there is provided a supply of processing liquid and a temperature control means positioned adjacent the supply in heatexchanging relationship therewith.

These and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in .part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the applica tion of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic exaggerated fragmentary sectional view of one form of camera which may embody the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic fragmentary isometric view of a heating element particularly useful in the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic fragmentary sectional view of a preferred form of cooling unit of the invention herein disclosed as embodied in a camera of the type shown in Fig. 1.

A camera which may embody the herein disclosed invention is arranged for exposing and processing a photosensitive sheetwhich, preferably includes a layer of a photosensitive silver halide. This processing is accomplished in conjunction with another sheet which is in superposed relation with said photosensitive sheet and in conjunction with a processing liquid which is located between the sheets when they are superposed. The camera includes means defining an exposure opening for exposing a predetermined area of the photosensitive sheet, this exposure opening being preferably associated with a usual lens and shutter. A portion of the camera defines a dry-processing chamber and other portions of the camera define a second chamber. The dry-processing chamber includes a pressure-applying means which preferably includes a pair of pressure members such as pressure rolls which act, without contacting the liquid, to spread this processing liquid between these two sheets, thus forming a sandwich of the two sheets as they pass into the second chamber. Within the second chamber the spread liquid accomplishes the desired processing, this processing comprising at least the development of the exposed photosensitive area and preferably including concurrent development of a negative image on the photosensitive sheet and a positive image on the second sheet. This second sheet will be hereinafter referred to as an image-carrying sheet.

The present invention is primarily concerned with improvements in cameras of the above type which facilitate obtaining good images despite extremely wide temperature variations encountered in the use of the camera. In the camera illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the second chamber includes at least one surface-defining wall and means are associated with this wall for maintaining the latter at a desired temperature. Means are also included in the camera for maintaining one of the sheets of the sandwich in heat-transferring relation to this wall. In a preferred construction of this second chamber two walls are provided, at least one of which is maintained at the desired temperature, and the walls are spaced apart by a distance not much greater than the thickness of the sandwich to be received therebetween. Thus, the second wall of the chamber acts as a means for supporting one of the sheets in heat-transferring relationship to the wall maintained at the desired temperature. These walls are preferably substantially planar and substantially parallel, thereby defining a substantially planar chamber which has a transverse dimension slightly larger than the width of the sandwich and a thickness on the order of the thickness of the sandwich.

For use in the camera of Figs. 1 and 2 the imagecarrying sheet is composed of a plurality of separable image areas, these areas being defined by perforations substantially surrounding the areas to assist in separating the processed image from the sandwich. For providing access to the second chamber for removing the positive image area, a door is preferably included in one of the walls of the chamber, this door, in the illustrated form of the invention, comprising that wall of the chamber which is maintained at said predetermined temperature.

In these figures, camera 10 is shown as comprising a front housing 12 and a rear housing 14 connected thereto by a means such as a hinge 13. The front housing 12 carries a bellows 16 to which is connected a lens and shutter assembly schematically indicated at 13. For properly positioning the lens and shutter with respect to the front housing 12 there is provided a cover 17 pivoted to the front housing 12 as at 19. The front housing 12 also includes an exposure opening 20 behind which a photosensitive sheet 22 is adapted to be held in exposure position, within the focal plane of the camera, by means of a backing plate 24. For holding a spool 26, carrying the supply of the photosensitive sheet 22, there is included a spool holder 28 shown as being secured to a partition member'30 which extends between the two housings 12 and 14. Partition 30 is preferably hinged to front housing 12 at 31. For holding a supply of imagecarrying sheet 32 there is provided a chamber 34 from which the image-carrying sheet can be fed into superposition with the photosensitive sheet 22 after exposure of the latter sheet. A plurality of containers 36 are shown as being secured at spaced intervals to a surface of the ima e-carrying sheet, each of these containers carrying a processing liquid, the containers being secured to that surface of the image-carrying sheet which is to be brought into superposition with the exposed photosensitive sheet.

Por superpositioning the two sheets and for processing the two sheets by releasing the processing liquid from a container 36 and spreading this liquid between the two sheets 22 and 32, there is provided a pair of pressure rolls 33 and 4t). Roll 38 is preferably secured, by means of a bracket 42, to rear housing 14, while pressure roll 49 is preferably carried by a pair of arms 44 secured, as at 36, to partition member 359. A pair of springs 48 and a pressure bar 50 apply a resilient load to rolls 33, 4'19 when these rolls are in the position shown in Fig. l.

The partition member 3% defines, with rear housing 14, a substantially planar chamber 52 into Which passes the sandwich formed by laminating sheets 22 and 32 together by means of the layer of spread processing liquid. As can be seen, this chamber 52 is not much thicker than the thickness of the sandwich 22, 32 and has a transverse dimension slightly greater than the width of the sandwich 22, 32. This chamber is preferably sufiiciently long to receive at least one processed image area. For providing access to a processed image area in chamber 52 there is included a door 54 in the rear housing 14, this door being hingedly connected to housing 14 as at 56. In a preferred form of construction an inner wall 58 of the door 54 is that surface of the chamber 52 which is maintained at a desired temperature. In a preferred form of this invention this wall 58 is heated in order to transfer heat to the layer of liquid in the sandwich 22, 312. An outer wall 60, of door 54, preferably cooperates with the inner wall 53 thereof to form a chamber 62 within the door for supporting a heating medium, generally indicated as a bag at 64, specific forms of the door and the bag being shown best in Figs. 2 and 3. The bag 64 preferably comprises a stratum 66 of material capable of entering into an exothermic reaction. The bag comprises outer walls 68 which are preferably moistureproof, these Walls being sealed along the edges, and the ends of the walls being formed into a leader portion 70. Between the walls there is positioned the stratum 66, this stratum being shown, in a preferred form, as comprising a porous sheet, such as a blotter, confining the material to enter into the exothermic reaction. For providing a supply of water capable of creating an exothermic reaction with the material in stratum 66, there is included a collapsible container 74 having a rupturably sealed discharge mouth 75 and preferably carrying a predetermined quantity of viscous aqueous liquid 76. There is preferably sutficient water to thoroughly wet the stratum 66 so that the exothermic reaction will continue for a substantial period of time. This water may advantageously include a viscosity-increasing material such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.

As can be seen best in Fig. 2, the outer wall 60 of door 54 is pivotally connected to the remainder of the door by means of a hinge 79. This door is preferably provided with a pair of pressure-applying members adapted to release the liquid 76 from the container 7 4 and to spread this liquid across the surface of the stratum 66. In the preferred form illustrated, these pressure-applying members comprise a curved surface 78, associated with the hinge 79, which cooperates with a second curved surface 85, preferably carried by inner wall 58, these surfaces being spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the bag 64. A heat-insulating stratum 61 is preferably included as a part of the outer wall 60 of door 54 to prevent loss of heat to the atmosphere and also to prevent this outer wall from getting too hot to touch in those cases where the exothermic reaction generates a relatively high temperature.

A discharge opening 82 is provided at the righthand end of the sandwich-receiving chamber 52 and a light-seal blade 84 is preferably provided at the lefthand end of the chamber 52 adjacent the pressure rolls 33 and 4t). Suitable light seals and latches are provided for preventing fogging of the photosensitive sheet and for maintaining the various elements of the camera in operative position.

When employing a preferred type of photochemical process in the above-described camera, the photosensitive sheet comprises a silver halide emulsion coated on a suitable base, the image-carrying sheet comprises baryta paper and the processing liquid includes an aqueous alkaline solution of a developer, a silver halide solvent and a film-forming material. The material entering into the exothermic reaction may comprise, for example, finely pulverized metals and other materials which readily oxidize when wetted with water. Examples of such materials are set forth in United States Patents 2,l26,734 and 2,040,466. When extremely low temperatures are encountered one may use materials capable of entering into a highly exothermic reaction, such as those described in United States Patents 2,384,720 and 2,315,528.

in the use of the camera described in Figs. 1 and 2, the rear housing 14 is swung open, as is partition 30, these two members being swung around the hinge points 13 and 31 respectively. A spool 26 is placed in the spool holder 28, carried by the partition 30, and the leader portion of the photosensitive sheet 22 is led across backing plate 24, between the arms 44 and around the pressure roll 40. Partition 30 is then moved to the position shown in Fig. 1. A coil of image-carrying sheet 32 is placed in the chamber 34, the leader portion thereof is aligned with the leader for the photosensitive material and these two leaders are led along the back of the partition 30 till they extend beyond the right-hand end of the camera. The rear housing 14 is now moved to the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby making the interior of the camera light-tight.

The outer wall 60 of the rear door 54 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 and the leader portion 70, of the heating bag 64, is fed between curved pressure surfaces 78 and 30. This leader portion is then grasped and the heating bag is pulled between the pressure surfaces 78 and 80. As the container 74 passes between these two surfaces, the hydraulic pressure in the viscous aqueous liquid '76 is increased to such an extent that the liquid is forced from mouth and is spread in an even layer across the surface of the stratum 66 containing the material to enter into the exothermic reaction. Pulling of the heating bag 64- is continued until the liquid is spread substantially completely throughout the area of the bag 64. The outer wall 60 of the door 54 is then moved to the dotted line position of Fig. 2, the heating bag, with the liquid spread therein, thus occupying the chamber 62 between the inner wall 58 and the heatinsulating stratum 61 associated with the outer wall 60 of the door 54.

These portions of the two leaders, associated with sheets 22 and 32, extending from the right-hand end of the camera are then pulled to position an unexposed photosensitive area behind the exposure opening 20. This moving of the leaders positions a container, associated with a corresponding image area on the image-carrying sheet 32, so that the container is in advance of this area and is about to enter the bite of the pressure rolls. Exposure of the photosensitive area is now accomplished by suitably operating the shutter and the two leaders are then pulled to advance these layers in superposition between the pressure rolls 38 and 40. As these layers pass between these pressure rolls the processing liquid is released from the container and is spread in a uniform layer between the two sheets, thus forming a sandwich, this sandwich being advanced into the chamber 52 after formation. When the processing of the exposed area has been accomplished by spreading the processing liquid over the surface thereof, this exposed area resides in the chamber 52 and the sheet 32 is in heat-absorbing relation to the inner wall 58 of the door 54. Since this inner wall 58 is heated by the exothermic reaction in the heating bag 64, heat is transferred from the wall 58 to the sheet 52 and to the layer of spread processing liquid. This transferred heat maintains this layer of processing liquid at a suificiently high temperature to accomplish the formation of both positive and negative images. At the end of a predetermined time, depending upon the degree of heat maintained in the processing liquid and the processing materials involved, the negative and positive images are completely formed and the door 54 may be opened to permit removal of that portion of the image-carrying sheet 32 containing the positive image. Removal of this area is preferably aided by having this area surrounded by perforations made in the sheet at the time of manufacture thereof.

The preferred form of the present invention speeds up the development of the positive and negative images and permits the use of such a processing camera regardless of the temperatures encountered in the use of the camera. It permits the use of processing materials, and amounts thereof, which give optimum images from the viewpoint of color, definition, tone and stability.

When a materialis used which generates sufficient heat to cause the formation of steam, the steam may be discharged to the outside of the camera by supplying a suitable vent. In the alternative, the steam may be allowed to pass into the sandwich-receiving chamber to aid in the heating of the sandwich and also to wet the sandwich by condensation of the steam thereon. In either such case the chamber which holds the heating bag may be provided with a means for perforating the outer walls 68 of the bag to permit the escape of the generated steam. When the steam is discharged into the camera care must be taken to isolate the steam-filled area from the camera lens to prevent condensation on the lens.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for controlling the temperature of the processing liquid carried by containers 36. In this manner, the temperature and viscosity of the supply of processing liquid, prior to spreading, may be maintained within desired ranges.

A preferred embodiment of such a temperature control means is illustrated in Fig. 4, wherein like numerals refer to like elements in the other figures. In the form thereof as shown, this means comprises a cylindrical tube 110 which is removably insertable in chamber 34 of the illustrated camera. Tube 110 is adapted to hold either a heating medium or a cooling medium. Such a heating medium may comprise a powder of the type previously described. Such a cooling medium may comprise, as shown at 112, a volatile solid or liquid such, for example, as Dry Ice or a piece of felt impregnated with a volatile alcohol.

Tube 110 may be provided with a suitable vent for permitting the escape of vapors from the medium therewithin. In order to permit the escape of vapors from within chamber 34, one of the walls of chamber 34 may be provided with a tortuous light-tight vent 114.

In accordance with the present invention, means are provided for retarding transfer of heat through the walls of chamber 34. In the form shown, housings 12 and 14 are provided with insulating wall sections 116. In addition, insulating strips 118 are provided for opposite sides of the path from the interior of chamber 34 to pressure rolls 38, 40. felt, for example.

In the operation of the illustrated camera with the temperature control means of Fig. 4 positioned therewithin, the viscosity of the processing liquid, which is a function of its temperature, can be maintained within a desired range for best spreading conditions. Thus, under extremely low temperatures, the viscosity may be found too high. When the liquid is heated, the viscosity is lowered and the photochemical process may be accelerated sufficiently to produce an optimum image. When a cooling medium is used, the arrangement is such as not to unduly lower the processing liquid temperature to a point at which the speed of the photochemical reaction becomes too slow.

With regard to the pressure-applying rolls 38 and 40 for spreading the processing liquid for processing the photosensitive sheet, numerous alternative embodiment of these rolls are'feasible within the scope of the invention. As one example thereof, the spreading surfaces for the photochemical processing liquid may comprise a platelike element, such as a fiat surface on partition 30, and a roller which is mounted for movement from one end of chamber 52 to the other end thereof, this roller releasing and spreading the processing liquid between two sheets held in stationary superposed relation in chamber 52.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A photographic apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive sheet by superposing said photosensitive sheet on another sheet and by spreading a processing composition between said sheets, said photographic apparatus comprising means providing a first storage chamber for a photosensitive sheet, means providing a second storage chamber for another sheet, said other sheet supporting at least one container, said container carrying a processing liquid composition, pressure-applying means for superposing said photosensitive sheet on said other sheet so that said processing composition may be spread between said sheets, a cooling element positioned in said second storage chamber, said cooling element comprising a casing and therewithin a material capable of undergoing an endothermic change, and insulation means substantially enveloping said second storage chamber.

2. A photographic apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive sheet by superposing said photosensitive sheet on another sheet and by spreading a processing composition between said sheets, said photographic apparatus comprising means providing a first storage chamber for a photosensitive sheet, means providing a second storage chamber for another sheet, said other sheet supporting at least one container, said container carrying a processing liquid composition, pressure-applying means for superposing said photosensitive sheet on said other sheet so that said processing composition may be spread between said sheets, and heat exchange means positioned within said second storage chamber, said heat exchange means comprising a casing and a material capable of entering into endothermic change positioned within said casing, said material comprising a volatile solid.

3. A photographic apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive sheet by superposing said photosensitive sheet on another sheet and by spreading a processing composition between said sheets, said photographic apparatus comprising means providing a first storage chamber for a photosensitive sheet, means providing a second storage chamber for another sheet, said other sheet supporting at least one container, said container carrying a processing liquid composition, pressure-applying means for superposing said photosensitive sheet on said other sheet Strips 118 may be composed of 7 so that said processing composition may be spread between said sheets, and heat exchange mean positioned within said second storage chamber, said heat exchange means comprising a casing and a material capable of entering into endothermic change positioned within said casing, said material comprising a volatile liquid.

4. A photographic apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive sheet by snperposing said photo sensitive sheet on another sheet and by spreading a processing composition between said sheets, said photographic apparatus comprising means providing a first storage chamber for a photosensitive sheet, means providing a second storage chamber for another sheet, said other sheet supporting at least one container, said container carrying a processing liquid composition, pressure-applying means for superposing said photosensitive sheet on said other sheet so that said processing composition may be spread between said sheets, and heat exchange means positioned within said second storage chamber, said heat exchange means comprising a casing and a material capable of entering into endothermic change positioned within said casing, said material comprising a piece of absorbent material impregnated with a volatile alcohol.

5. A photographic apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive sheet, said photographic apparatus comprising guide means for locating a portion of said photosensitive sheet for exposure, means providing a first storage chamber on one side of said guide means for said photosensitive sheet, means providing a second storage chamber on the other side of said guide means for another sheet, said other sheet supporting at least one container, said container carrying a processing liquid composition, a pair of pressure-applying members for superposing said photosensitive sheet on said other sheet in order to spread said processing composition between said sheets, and a heat exchange means positioned in said storage chamber, said heat exchange means comprising a casing and therewithin a material capable of entering into an endothermic change.

6. A photographic apparatus for processing an exposed photosensitive sheet by superposing said photosensitive sheet on another sheet and by spreading a processing composition between said sheets, said photographic apparatus comprising means providing a first storage chamber for a photosensitive sheet, means providing a second storage chamber for another sheet, said other sheet supporting at least one container, said container carrying a processing liquid composition, pressure-applying means for superposing said photosensitive sheet on said other sheet so that said processing composition may be spread between said sheets, and heat exchange means positioned within said second storage chamber, said heat exchange means comprising a casing, a cooling medium within said casing capable of producing heat exchange between said heat exchange means and said container, said cooling medium comprising a piece of absorbent material impregnated with a volatile alcohol, and a tortuous light-tight vent extending from the interior to the exterior of said second storage chamber for permitting the escape of vapors from within the casing.

No references cited. 

